LI  E>  RAR.Y 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 
OF    ILLINOIS 


WON  CIRCULATING 


CHECK  FOR  UNBOUND 
0?ROUUTING  COPY 


.CIRCULATING 


CHECK  FOR  UNBOUND 
CIRCULATING  COPY, 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS, 

Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

URBANA,  MARCH,  1896. 

BULLETIN  NO.  42. 
CORN  EXPERIMENTS,  .895. 

Experiments  with  corn  conducted  at  this  Station  xand  reported 
in  this  bulletin  are  comprised  under  the  following  numbers  and 
titles  : 

No.     i.  Corn,  Testing  Varieties. 

No.    3.  Corn,  Time  of  Planting. 

No.    5.  Corn,  Thickness  of  Planting. 

No.  23.  Rotation  Experiment. 

No.  90.  Corn,  Rate  of  Growth. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  desire  to  consider  the  effect  of 
meteorological  conditions  upon  the  experiments  reported  there  is 
given  on  the  next  page  a  table  of  temperatures  and  rainfall  as 
observed  at  this  Station  from  January,  1889,  to  December,  1895, 
inclusive. 

Experiment  No.  i.     Corn,   Testing  Varieties. 
LAND. 

The  ground  used  in  this  experiment  is  deep,  rich  prairie  soil, 
nearly  level,  and  is  as  uniform  as  it  was  possible  to  select,  any  differ- 
ence being  in  favor  of  the  end  at  which  the  line  in  the  diagram- 
indicates  the  location  of  a  tile  drain.  Plats  i  to  80,  inclusive,, 
occupy  the  ground  that  was  used  for  the  same  experiment  the 
year  previous,  and  the  last  crop  on  plats  81  to  100  was  wheat.  It 
was  plowed  in  the  fall  and  well  disked  and  harrowed  before 
planting. 


164 


BULLETIN   NO.   42. 

METEOROLOGICAL  RECORDS,  1889-1895. 
TEMPERATURE,  DEGREES,  FAHRENHEIT. 


[March, 


1889 
1890 
1891 

1892 

1893 
1894 
1895 

January. 

February. 

March. 

April. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Mm. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

29.28 

33-5 
30.26 
19.2 
14.8 
29.4 
19-5 

57 
66 

57 
57 
48 
64 
57 

-2 

-5 
6 

-15 

* 

-21 

23.36 
34.66 
30-45 
33 
25.8 
24-7 
17.9 

53 
68 
61 

55 
5i 
58 
65 

-7-5 
7 

-9 

* 

* 

-5 
-20.5 

39"92 

33-35 
32.55 
36.1 
37-8 
43-5 
35-9 

72 
61 
65 
69 
76 

77 
84 

18 

2 
-I 

* 
* 
IO 

7 

51-9 
52.32 
52.78 
48  6 
49-3 
5L4 
52.3 

75 
81 
81 
70-5 
75 
85 
88 

25 
29 

22 
26 
30 
25 
27 

If  hole  period  .  . 

25-13 

66 

*-2I 

27.12 

68 

*-20  .  5 

37-01 

84 

*-i 

51.22 

88 

22 

1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 

1893 
1894 
1895 

May. 

June. 

July. 

August. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

59-2 
58-27 
58.4 
57-9 
57-4 
59-6 
59-4 

91 

8? 
91 

82 

84 
89 

95 

28 
33 
30 
36 
37 
32 
28 

65-5 
74-56 
71.9 
70.6 

70.5 
73-4 
73-3 

88 
96 
93 
94 
93 
97 
98-5 

40 
47 
49 
51 
53 
34 
42 

72.7 
73-02 
70.12 

73-3 
76.4 
73-8 
71-3 

90-5 
97-5 
93 
96.5 
98 

98 
94 

50 
45 
42 
46 
48 
47 
43 

69.2 
68.74 
70.21 

71-5 
71.1 
72  3 
73  2 

89 
96 
99 
94 
96 
99 
97 

29-5 
44-5 
40 
47 
37 
4i 
48 

Whole  period.  . 

58.60 

95 

28 

71-39 

98.5 

34 

72-95 

98 

42 

70.89 

99 

29.5 

1889 
1890 
1891 

1892 
1893 
1894 
1895 

September. 

October. 

November. 

December. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

Mean. 

Max. 

Min. 

61.32 
60.46 
69.2 

63-9 

66.5 

65 
67.7 

87-5 
89 
96 
8? 
97 
94 
94 

32 
33 
41 
42 
31 
38 
32 

47.26 
52.07 
51-3 
53-6 
53  3 
51.9 
45-9 

82 

76 

88.5 
88.5 

84 

84 

75 

25 
27 
27 
19 
1  8 
28 

12 

36.82 
42.62 
35.69 
34-8 
37-3 
35-9 
38.2 

62 

68 

67 
64 

75 
6? 
73 

4 

21 
2 

7 
6 

12 

4 

42.71 
30.91 
37 
27-7 
30 
32-9 
3i-i 

66 
58 
60 
60 
63 
59 
59 

15 
8 
II 

-7 
-6 

-4 

-2 

Whole  period.. 

64.86 

97     !3i 

50.76 

88.5 

12 

37  33 

75 

2 

33-19 

66 

-7 

RAINFALL,  INCHES. 


Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

April 

May. 

June. 

July- 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Year. 

i88g 

1.48 

2.08 

1.61 

.61 

5-52 

6.81 

5-81 

.60 

2.74 

1.42 

4-38 

1.82 

34.88 

1890 

5.26 

1.87 

2.70 

4  .11 

3-56 

3-80 

2.83 

1-93 

1.19 

2-35 

I  63 

•  05 

31.28 

1891 

•99 

2.60 

3-55 

3-54 

.89 

2.08 

1.41 

2.86 

.41 

1.29 

5-58 

i  53 

26.73 

1892 

•79 

2.64 

2-59 

6-45 

7.86 

5.36 

2.50 

2-45 

•93 

93 

4-95 

1.62 

39-05 

1893 

1.05 

4.48 

3.20 

7.68 

4-83 

1-55 

•59 

.06 

3.62 

1.14 

2.98 

1.09 

32-37 

1894 

1-95 

1.32 

2.41 

1.86 

3-32 

1.78 

1-08 

2.06 

4.21 

•  5i 

2-77 

1-44 

24  72 

1895 

1.36 

•  52 

.70 

2.42 

2.  2O 

2.24 

3.61 

1.81 

5-27 

.21 

3  07 

5  71 

29.  12 

Ave.  . 

1.84 

2.21 

2-39 

3-8i 

4-O2 

3-37 

2-54 

1.68 

2    62 

I.  12 

3.62 

1.89 

.31.16 

*Record  incomplete. 


1896.]  FIELD    EXPERIMENTS   WITH   CORN,    1895. 

DIAGRAM  OF  PLATS. 


i65 


100 

99 

98 

X 

97 

96 

yt 

94- 

93 

X 

ae 

91 

90 

89 

88 

X 

87 

86 

85 

84- 

X 

83 

32 

81 

77 

72 

69 

65 

61 

t>7 

•* 
S3 

49 

45 

41 

37 

33 

X 

£9 

X 

25 

Zl 

17 

J3 

9 

X 

S 

X 

X 

78 

74- 

70 

66 

^X 

58 

54 

50 

46 

42 

33 

34 

5O 

26 

22 

/d 

/4 

IO 

6 

2 

79 

75 

71 

67 

/63 

39 

55 

5/ 

47 

43 

39 

33 

3/ 

27 

23 

/9 

/5 

// 

7 

3 

80 

76 

72 

¥ 

64- 

60 

56 

52 

4-8 

44- 

40 

36 

32 

28 

24 

20 

X. 

/6 

/2 

8 

4 

TREATMENT. 

The  accompanying  diagram  gives  the  position  of  the  varieties 
under  experiment  each  occupying  a  plat  two  rods  square.  All 
were  planted  the  same  date,  in  hills  3  ft.  8  inches  apart  each  way, 
and  were  cultivated  and  treated  alike  in  every  particular.  At  a 
height  of  about  six  inches  the  crop  was  thinned  to  four  stalks  a 
hill.  The  entire  area  was  surrounded  by  growing  corn.  The  plats 
marked  thus  x  were  planted  to  the'same  variety,  Boone  county 
white. 

Identical  treatment  of  all  varieties  is  open  to  objection.  That 
form  pursued  here  is  manifestly  unjust  to  both  the  very  early  and 
the  very  late.  Any  date  which  may  be  selected  for  planting 
subjects  some  varieties  to  possible  unfavorable  conditions.  To 
say  the  least  they  are  not  the  same  to  which  they  would  be  sub- 
jected under  ordinary  circumstances.  Any  uniform  distance  of 
planting  will  be  unnecessarily  great  for  the  early  and  smaller 
varieties  and  tend  to  reduction  of  yield,  or  it  will  be  unfavorably 
close  for  the  gigantic  later  sorts  or  both.  It  is  a  question  too 
whether  the  extremes  are  fully  supplied  with  pollen,  certainly  not 
with  the  superabundance  attending  the  period  of  fertilization  of 
the  medium  varieties.  '  These  medium  varieties  seemed  to  be 
favored  not  only  by  climatic  conditions  but  by  the  necessary 
circumstances  of  experiment,  because  any  attempt  to  equalize 
opportunities  by  closer  planting  or  by  special  conditions  is  mani- 
festly not  feasible. 

MATURITY. 

All  varieties  maturing  before  September  I5th  are  classed  as 
early,  those  maturing  between  September  I5th  and  October  ist  as 
medium,  and  those  maturing  after  October  >st  as  late.  It  is  cer- 
tainly remarkable  that  under  fairly  uniform  conditions  of  soil  and 
treatment  the  same  variety  when  raised  on  neighboring  plats 
should  range  from  early  to  late.  See  Diagram  and  Table  I,  Boone 
county  white.  It  is  suggestive  in  this  connection  that  from  what- 


1 66 


BULLETIN   NO.   42.  [March, 

TABLE  i.    VARIETIES  OF  CORN,  THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS. 


Name  of  variety. 


Source  of  seed. 


Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Boone  county  white 

Brown 

Burr's  white 

Burr's  white-cranberry,  cross  . 

Calico 

Champion  white  pearl 

Champion  white  pearl  (r.)  .  . . 
Champion  white  pearl  (j.; 
Champion  white  pearl,  cross  . . 

Champion  yellow  dent 

Clark's  Iroquois 

Charles  Cloud 

John  Cloud 

Conqueror 

Crowder 

Cuban  Queen 

Davis'  improved 

Dungan's  white  prolific 

Early  Butler 

Early  eclipse 

Early  golden  Cable 

Early  Iowa 

Early  Learning ~. 

Early  mastodon. 

Edmonds 

Edmonds-Burr's  white,  cross. . 
Edmonds-Murdock,  cross 

Extra  early  Adams 

Extra  early  Huron  ...    

First  premium 

Fisk's  white 

Flour  corn 

Forsyth's  favorite 

J.  J.  Freeland 

Golden  beauty 

Golden  beauty-Learning,  cross 
Golden  beauty-Learning,  cross, 

Golden  dent  

Golden  seal 

Hickory  king 


Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

James  Riley,  Thorntown,  Ind.  . . . 

J.  B.  Martin,  Atwood,  111 

F..E.  Burr,  Philo,  111 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

C.  W.  Bush,  Putnam,  111 

J.  C.  Suffern,  Voorhies,  111 

W.  T.  Freeland,  Windsor,  111 

W.  T.  Freeland,  Windsor,  111 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

J.  C.  Suffern,  Voorhies,  111 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

W.  T.  Freeland,  Windsor,  111 

W.  T.  Freeland,  Windsor,  111 

N.  B.  &  G.  Co.,  Minneapolis 

W.  T.  Freeland,  Windsor,  111 

Nims  Bros.,  Emerson,  Iowa 

L.  H.  Davis,  Earlville,  111 

Plant  Seed  Co.,  St.  Louis,  Mo 

J.  C.  Suffern,  Voorhies,  111 

Plant  Seed  Co.,  St.  Louis 

Plant  Seed  Co.,  St.  Louis 

E.  A.  Riehl,  Alton,  111 

J.  H.  Beagley,  Sibley,  111 

J.  A.  Everitt,  Indianapolis 

H.  P.  Edmonds,  Taylor,  111 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

D.  M.  Ferry  &  Co.,  Detroit,  Mich.. 

Ford  &  Son,  Ravenna,  Ohio, 

J.  A.  Everitt,  Indianapolis 

E.  C.  Fisk,  Havana,  111 

Wm.  H.  Maule,  Philadelphia 

J.  A.  Everitt,  Indianapolis 

W.  T.  Freeland.  Windsor,  111 

W.  W.  Barnard  &  Co.,  Chicago... . 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Experiment  Station  Farm 

Jas.  Moore,  Hanover,  111 

J.  A.  Everiit,  Indianapolis 

W.  W.  Barnard  &  Co.,  Chicago 


White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
R.&W. 
White 
White 
White 
White 
Yellow 


Late 
Medium 
Medium 

Late 
Early 

Late 
Medium 
Medium 

Lale 

Late 

Late 
Medium 

Late 
Medium 

Early 
Medium 
Medium 

Late 
Medium 

Early 
Medium 
Medium 


Yellow  Medium 


White 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
White 
White 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
White 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
White 
Yellow 
White 
Yellow 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
White 


Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Early 

Early 

Medium 

Early 

Medium 

Late 

Early 

Medium 

Medium 

Early 

Early 

Medium 

Very  earl  j 

¥«ry  early 

Medium 

Late 

Late 

Late 

Medium 

Medium 

Medium 

Late 

Early 

Early 

Early 


1896.]  FIELD    EXPERIMENTS    WITH    CORN,    1895. 

STALKS,  EARS,  AND  YIELDS  OF  SHELLED  CORN  PER  ACRE,  1895. 


I67 


Height,  in. 

Stalks. 

Ears. 

r 

? 

Shelled  corn. 

P  tr  P" 

Sn 

1 

£•*  £-• 

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11500 

9300 

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II3OO 

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16.9 

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II9OO 

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94 

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70.7   15.8 

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119 

48   looo   12100   12200   57 

68    13.6 

6000 

15 

102.5 

ii 

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43   2800   11600   8800  |  32 

73.8   16.2 

2325 

19 

37-6 

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III 

42    700   12200  .  11400   54 

70.8   16.4 

5100 

16 

86.2 

41 

94 

37    1900   10600   9500   51 

76.2  I  20.2 

3850 

18 

63.3 

30 

106 

44   1500   12000   moo   53 

72.2   16.2 

4925 

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81.4 

51 

107 

42    600   1  1  200   nooo   36 

76.4   15  7 

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66    14.1 

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48.5 

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112    48   2900   12300   10300 

53 

69.6 

I5-I 

4625 

16 

78.3 

54 

104    42   3700 

13700   1  1000 

41 

65.2 

H.  7 

3950 

14  '  68.6 

69 

98    32    700 

13100   13200 

35 

68.4 

18 

3750   n   66.9 

34 

105 

44   1700 

I2IOO    IO5OO 

46 

68.7 

16.7 

4000   13   69.9 

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in 

40 

9OO    I2OOO    I020O 

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70.1 

16.7 

2875 

15  i  49-2 

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99 

40 

9OO    II7OO    II6OO 

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67.7 

14.2 

4975 

14 

86.1 

82 

91 

37 

1300   10100   9700 

37 

72-5 

16.8 

2975 

17 

49-3 

57 

97 

39 

3OO    IlSoO    I2IOO 

40 

67.5 

15-5 

4150 

13 

71.9 

20 

69 

18 

400   10100   10800 

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70.7 

20.7 

1625 

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29 

31 

88 

32    300   11800   11300 

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65.3 

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2475 

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37    2300 

I22OO    9900 

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73-2 

17.4 

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1  1  200    8200 

34 

73-7 

16.1 

2350 

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38 

9  85    92 

42     2OOO 

IigOO    9600 

42 

74-9 

15-5 

3400 

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56.4 

88    102 

46   1  800 

I47OO   I3OOO 

51 

68.9 

14-9 

5700 

15 

97-2 

81     89 

33   1200 

I29OO   IO6OO 

94 

69-3 

15-3   3450 

15 

58.8 

44      96 

36 

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I2IOO  i  II3OO 

38 

67.9 

15.7   3625 

13 

63-3 

-i     107 

42 

Bob 

I05OO    8900 

37 

71  9 

17-4   2725 

16 

45-9 

1 68  BULLETIN   NO.   42.  [Jlfarc/t, 

TABLE  i. — Continued.     VARIETIES  OF  CORN,  THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS, 


% 

p" 

Name  of  variety. 

Source  of  seed. 

n 

0_ 

o* 

Maturing. 

67 

g 
50 
63 
40 
18 
38 
39 
96 

94 

89 
55 
77 
66 
6c 

12 

37 
42 
93 
64 
23 
52 
7i 
56 
95 

9<- 

84 

9i 
28 
& 

IOC 

79 
49 
86 

48 

21 
62 

3 

10 

70 
19 
7 
73 
33 
46 

35 

Hickoiy  king-Helms'  Imp.,  cross 
Illinois  early  white  dent  
Illinois  silver  mine  

Experiment  Station  Farm  

White 
White 
White 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
White 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
White 
Wh.te 
Yellow 
White 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
White 
Yellow 
White 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow 
White 
White 
White 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow- 
White 
Yellow 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
White 
Yellow 
Yellow 
Yellow! 

Late 
Medium 
Early 
Medium 
Medium 
Early 
Early 
Medium 
Medium 
Late 
Late 
Medium 
Early 
Medium 
Late 
Early 
Early 
Medium 
Late 
Medium 
Early 
Early 
Late 
Medium 
Early 
Early 
Late 
Late 
Early 
Medium 
Late 
Medium 
Medium 

J.  C.  Suffern,  Voorhies,  111..  
J.  H.  Beagley,  Sibley,  111  

Illinois  yellow  dent  

J.  C.  Suffern,  Voorhies,  111  

Improved  Learning  

J.  C.  Suffern,  Voorhies,  111  

Iowa  beauty  

Samuel  Wilson,  Mechanicsville,  Pa. 
E.  S.  Teagarden,  Boone,  Iowa  
W.  T.  Freeland,  Windsor,  111.  ... 

Iowa  king  . 

Learning    .. 

Learning  .          .  .            ... 

E.  E.  Chester   Champaign    111  ... 

Learning    

E.  G.  Meriwether,  Shipman,  111  .  .  . 
Experiment  Station  Farm  

Learning-Edmonds  cross.    ... 

Learning-golden  beauty,  cross. 

Experiment  Station  Farm  

Nims  Bros.,  Emerson,  Iowa  

Little  boss  

J.  B.  Martin,  Atwood,  111  

Macoupin  county  white     

E.  G.  Meriwether,  Shipman,  111..  . 
J.  H.  Beagley,  Sibley   111  

Mastodon  

Mills  county  white     .... 

Nims  Bros.   Emerson   Iowa  

Minear  s  long  grain 

George  Minear  Wing  111.  ... 

Mortgage  lifter  

J.  A.  Everitt,  Indianapolis  

Murdock  

Dr.  C.  H.  Mills,  Champaign.  ,t  .  .  . 

Murdock's  go-day  yellow..  .  .  . 
New  white  cap  yellow  dent.  .  . 
Ohio  Hendren  

Plant  Seed  Co.,  St.  Louis,  Mo  

J.  A.  Everitt,  Indianapolis  

E.  E.  Chester,  Champaign   

Premium  white..                  .  .  .  . 

E.  E.  Chester  Champaign          .... 

Pride  of  Columbia  

J.  H.  Beagley,  Sibley,  111  

Pride  of  the  north  

J.  H.  Beagiey,  Sibley,  111  
Hiram  Howard.  Marshal],  Mo  
J.  W.  Council,  Fancy  Prairie,  111.  . 
J.  L.  Reid,  Delavan   111  

Pride  of  Saline              .... 

Queen  of  the  prairie  

Reid's  yellow  dent  

Riley's  favorite  

James  Riley,  Thorntown,  Ind  

St.  Charles  white  

J.  C.  Suffern,  Voorhies  111  

Sanford  flint   .          ... 

W.  W.  Rawson  &  Co.,  Boston,  Mass 
J.  B.  Martin,  Atwood    111.          .... 

Short  stalk  .  . 

Stanner's  yellow  dent 

W.  H.  Stanner,  St.  Joseph,  111  
S.  P.  Campbell,  Loami,  111  

Medium 
Late 
Medium 
Medium 
Early 
Very  late 
Medium 
Medium 

Star  

Sterling  
Storm  

T.  J.  Groves,  Dana,  Ind  
W.  T.  Freeland,  Windsor,  111  

Van  Dervoort's  improved.  .  .  . 
Van  Meter's  white  

Wm.  Van  Dervoort,  Ellsworth,  111. 
J.  W.  Council,  Fancy  Prairie,  111.  . 
W.  T.  Freeland,  Windsor,  111  
O.  E.  Chester,  Champaign,  111  
J.  H.  Beagley,  Sibley,  111  

\Vaggoner   

White  corn  .              

White  pearl  

Early 
Early 
Early 
Late 
Medium 
Knrlv 

White  prolific  

Sam'l  Wilson,  Mechanicsville,  Pa.. 
J.  B.  Martin,  Atwood,  111  

Wilson's  137  bu  

W.  T.  Freeland,  Windsor,  111  
E   C.  Fisk   Havana    111              

Yellow  corn.  .  .  . 

Yellow  

C.  W.  Bush,  Putnam,  111  

*Air-dry,  containing  eleven  per  cent,  of  moisture. 


1896.]  FIELD   EXPERIMENTS   WITH   CORN,    1895. 

STALKS,  EARS,  AND  YIELDS  OK  SHELLED  CORN  PER  ACRE,  1895. 


169 


Height,  in. 

Stalks.        Ears. 

r 

B? 

Shelled  corn. 

P  erF* 

n 

a 

* 

M 

D-  7r  2, 

O 

H 

O 

^J 

^"3  ^ 

^Tj 

~ 

tt 

J5 

•  ^s 

o 

^j 

s«  ^ 

fc 

CO 

B 

—       13 

P3 

o  Z 

n 

8  r 

p  n 

v" 

ta 

Rr 

R 

re 

I   ; 

8 

P"e 

0 
CT 

£§ 

0- 

67 

IIO 

54 

IOOO 

9600 

8400 

49 

78 

15-8 

3475 

24 

52.9 

2 

96 

36 

1700 

I2OOO 

IOIOO 

31 

70.5 

16.8 

2600 

15 

44-3 

9 

90 

37   2000 

IIIOO 

9500 

35 

71.3 

15-7 

2825 

18 

47 

50 

108 

46 

IIOO 

12000 

II300 

56 

71.4 

17.3 

5275 

16 

89-3 

63 

109 

42 

1300 

II3OO 

10400 

64 

72.8 

17.2 

5525 

17 

91.7 

40 

105 

42 

500 

I27OO 

12400 

36 

67.2 

15-7 

3750 

12 

66.2 

18 

91 

35 

1700 

II7OO 

9500 

71.4 

17.2 

2400 

16 

40.6 

38 

104 

46 

IOOO 

I26OO 

12500 

36 

65.9 

13-9 

3825 

12 

67.9 

39 

105 

42 

IOO 

I2OOO 

II700 

40 

66.5 

13.2 

4100 

14 

71.1 

96 

112 

48 

3800 

I5IOO 

II200 

68 

75-2 

19.1 

6150 

18 

101 

94 

98 

40 

3700 

15300 

IlSoO 

48 

7L5 

16.7 

4725 

16 

79-4 

89 

105 

45 

I2OO 

I29OO 

I27OO 

50 

68.6 

14.6 

5400 

15 

92-5 

55 

IO2 

41 

600 

I33OO 

loSoO 

52 

70.3 

15-6 

4725 

16 

80 

77 

106 

33 

"800 

IISOO 

I  IOOO 

41 

73-9 

19.4 

3625 

16 

60.9 

66 

121 

52    800 

I24OO 

12400 

63 

80.8 

22.4 

6050 

21 

96.5 

60 

103 

42 

500 

II6OO 

II4OO 

60 

73-4 

17.2 

5625 

18 

93 

12 

97 

40 

1300 

10500  '   9500 

35 

69 

15-8 

2800 

14 

48  2 

37 

no 

46 

800 

I  igOO    II2OO 

49 

67.1 

14-5 

4725 

13 

82.4 

42 

104 

39 

2IOO 

I25OO    IO9OO 

36 

68 

14.6 

3350 

14 

57-7 

93 

110 

46 

7OO 

I22OO   IigOO 

49 

68.4 

16.6 

4900 

13 

85-9 

64 

92 

31 

IIOO 

II9OO    IlSoO 

34 

64.8 

13 

3525 

,12 

62.5 

23 

32 

I2OO 

1  1  5OO    99OO 

29 

68.2 

16.8 

2350 

12 

41.4 

52 

113 

47 

I800 

II7OO    99OO 

53 

77-6 

19.6 

4200 

20 

67.3 

71 

1  06 

40 

9OO 

1  1  9OO 

IIIOO 

65 

75-3 

17.2 

6000 

20 

96.3 

56 

87 

34 

IOOO 

12800 

II400 

38 

66.2 

I3-I 

3775 

13 

66.1 

95 

94 

39 

1700 

I28OO 

II2OO 

45 

65.2 

13-4 

4350 

12 

77-1 

90 

125 

58 

2OOO 

I2OOO 

IOOOO 

64 

77-i 

18.6 

5250 

21 

83.7 

84 

116 

49 

I6OO 

I22OO 

9800 

53 

76.1 

17-7 

4300 

20 

68.7 

93 

IOOO 

I24OO 

II500 

56 

68 

14-5 

5475 

14 

94-1 

28 

104 

40 

2000 

I25OO 

IIIOO 

32 

67 

13.6 

3025 

14 

52.2 

8 

108 

45 

300 

4200 

2900 

67 

82.3 

24.4 

1475 

20 

23-7 

IOO 

98 

33 

93OO 

226OO 

14100 

33 

70.1 

19.1 

3775 

12 

67 

79 

96 

37 

24OO 

I3IOO    IO3OO 

41 

77-2 

20.4 

3325 

19 

54-1 

49 

106 

45 

7OO 

II2OO   II4OO 

55 

72.7 

17.9 

5150 

16 

86.7 

86 

"5 

48  . 

I7OO 

I22OO    IO2OO 

59 

79-1 

19 

4900 

22 

76.5 

48 

103 

41 

32OO 

I27OO  '   9600 

36 

70.3 

I5-I 

2925 

16 

49-4 

21 

103 

39 

I2OO 

II500 

IOIOO 

44 

76 

18.9 

3625 

19 

58.9 

62 

104 

I2OO 

I220O 

I  IOOO 

55 

69 

15-6 

5125 

14 

88.1 

3- 

103 

49 

3900 

1  2  IOO 

7300 

43 

78.9 

17.6 

2550 

23 

39.6 

10 

94 

42 

2500 

II700 

9000 

35 

77-4 

18  9 

2575 

21 

41 

70 

IO2 

40 

2OOO 

13000 

11500 

55 

73 

18.7 

5125 

16 

86.3 

19 

90 

34 

I7OO 

1  2  IOO 

9600 

27 

67-3 

13-7 

2  2OO 

14 

37-9 

7 

92 

37 

500 

II2OO 

IO2OO 

35 

72.4 

16.8 

2850 

14 

49.4 

73 

IIO 

44 

7OO 

I27OO 

11900 

56 

76.4 

19.9 

5325 

18 

87.4 

33 

IIO 

45 

3OO 

IOIOO 

10800 

57 

71-7 

16.3 

5125 

17 

85.4 

46 

IOO 

39 

2  IOO 

9800 

8400 

53 

72.8 

16.3 

3725 

18 

61.1 

3? 

86 

34 

800 

I25OO 

11600 

43 

67  6 

15-6 

42OO 

13 

73-6 

170 


BULLETIN   NO.   42. 


\_Marck, 


TABLE  2.     SYNOPSIS  OF  VARIETIES  OF  CORN,   1895. 


Yellow 

(70  bu.) 


Smooth 


Rough 


F.arly 

(61. i  bu.) 


White 

(Si.jbu.) 


Medium 

(64. 8  In 


Yellow 

(72 . 9  bu . ) 


Rough  .. 


White  ..  . 
(54.9  I)' 


Late 

(67,1 


(72.5  In 


Smooth 


Rough 


Smooth 


Rough 


White 

(01.8  bu. 


Reid's  yellow  dent 91 

VanDervoort's  improved 88. 


Yields 


Cuban  queen 

Early  Butler 

Edmonds 

Extra  early  Huron. 

Golden  dent 

Golden  seal 

I  Iowa  beauty 

Legal  tender 

Mastodon 

Murdock  go-day  ... 

Pride  of  Columbia. , 
„  Pride  of  the  north . . 


•  66. 5 


f  Champion  white  pearl,  smooth 


Smooth 


Rough 


Smooth  . . 


Early  Iowa  , 

rly  Adams. 

rolific 

137  bu  .... 


<{    Extra  earlj 

White  prol 

I.  Wilson's  ii 


•  Burr's  white 
Davis'  improved 
Hickory  king 
Illinois  silver  mine 
Iowa  king 
Mills  county  white 
New  white  cap  yellow  dent. 
White  pearl 


•  John   Cloud 86.2 

Conqueror 63.3 

Crowder 81.4 

Golden  beauty 38 

»  Improved  Learning 91.7 

Learning  (ave.  3  plats) 8c 

Murdock , 85.9 

'  Champion  yellow  dent 78.2  ' 

Clark's  Iroquois 102.5 

Early  eclipse 78.3 

Early  Learning 69.9 

Early  Mastodon 49.2 

Illinois  yellow  dent 89.3 

Minear's  long  grain 82.4 

Riley 's  favorite .  52.2 

Sterling 49  4 

„  Yellow  corn 61   i 

Boon e  Co.  white  (ave.  13  plats)  73.2 

1.  J.  Freeland 49.2 

Sanford's  flint 67 

Storm 58.9 

Waggoner 41 

Brown 57.9  " 

Champion  white  f>earl,  rough.  44.5 

Chas.  Cloud 37.6 

Dungan's  white  prolific 44-5 

First  premium 39-8 

Illinois  early  white  dent 44-3 

Little  boss 60.9 

Premium  white , 96.3 

.  Short  stalk 54 .  i 

i    Ohio  Hendren 67.3    j 

....-!    Queen  of  the  prairie.. .    68.7    >  70.! 

(    Star 76.5    1 

Early  golden  cable 68. 6 

Mortgage  lifter 57-7 

Pride  of  Saline 83.7 

Yantis ....,..,..  85.4 

\    Flour  corn 60.4    >     „ 

th""    |    Macoupin  county  white 96.5    i  7B'- 

{  Champion  white  pearl 100.3  "1 
Fisk's  white 44-3    I 
Forsyth's  favorite 67.7    >  55  .  t 
St.  Charles  white 23.7 
Van  Meter's  white 30.6  ) 


1896.]  FIKLI)    EXPERIMENTS    WITH    CORN,    1895.  i;i 

ever  cause  this  variation  within  the  variety  arose  it  was  connected 
with  the  yield,  for  the  one  plat  classed  as  early  gave  a  yield  of 
49.8  bu.;  the  five  classed  as  medium,  an  average  yield  of  69.5  bu.; 
and  the  seven  classed  as  late,  an  average  yield  of  79.2  bu.  The 
suggestion  is  that  the  labor  the  corn  plant  is  able  to  do  is  to  a 
considerable  extent  dependent  on  the  time  through  which  its 
energies  are  extended.  This  principle  has  support  from  Table  2 
in  which  the  varieties  classed  as  late  have  upon  the  average  the 
highest  yield,  even  though  two  or  three  suffered  from  failing  to 
mature. 

Except  in  1892  and  the  present  year,  the  highest  yield  has 
been  from  the  medium  maturing  varieties,  the  average  yields  for 
eight  years  being  early  56.2;  medium  65.1;  and  late  59.8;  from 
which  we  infer  that  the  chief  danger  for  late  varieties  is  interrup- 
tion by  frost  before  their  labors  are  finished,  but  that  they  have 
the  capacity  for  the  greatest  total  results. 

That  the  late  varieties  are  capable  of  outyielding  all  others 
does  not  argue  for  their  adoption.  The  element  of  certainty  that 
attends  the  growth  of  medium  maturing  varieties  more  than  com- 
pensates for  the  possible  greater  average  of  later  sorts  in  favorable 
seasons.  The  ability  to  produce  a  paying  crop  in  an  unfavorable 
season  is  a  chief  recommendation  for  a  variety,  even  though  for  a 
period  of  years  its  yield  might  be  exceeded  by  a  later  sort. 

COLOR. 

Contrary  to  the  general  fact  the  yellow  varieties  largely  out- 
yielded  the  white  in  1895,  the  yellow  varieties  yielding  an  average 
of  71.8  bu.,  and  the  white,  55  bu.  Up  to  this  time  the  average 
yield  for  all  yellow  varieties  for  seven  years  was  60.3  bu.,  and  for 
all  white  varieties  61.8  bu. 

BARRKX  STALKS. 

Actual  count  was  made  of  the  number  of  fruitful  stalks,  of 
barren  stalks,  and  the  total  number  of  ears  upon  so  much  of  each 
plat  as  would  constitute  one  one-hundredth  of  an  acre.  These 
numbers  multiplied  by  100  appear  in  Table  I  as  the  approximate 
figures  per  acre. 

The  reader  will  be  struck  by  the  increased  number  of  barren 
stalks,  amounting  to  13  per  cent.,  and  will  ask:  What  is  the  cause? 
Is  it  due  to  a  circumstance  that  may  be  controlled,  or  is  it  an 
attendant  end  that  must  be  endured?  Are  certain  varieties  more 
afflicted  with  barrenness  than  others?  A  casual  glance  at  Table  I 
would  give  this  impression,  but  exceeding  wide  variations  in  this 
matter  are  seen  within  the  single  variety,  Boone  county  white. 


1/2  BULLETIN   NO.   42. 

The  Sanford  flint  variety  with  9300  barren  stalks  also  shows 
the  largest  total  number  of  stalks,  with  one  exception  the  largest 
number  of  ears,  and  a  very  satisfactory  yield.  This  strongly  sug- 
gests that  suckers  freely  appeared,  for  in  thinning  to  four  kernels 
to  the  hill  the  total  number  of  stalks  to  the  acre  is  less  than 
13,000.  Whether  we  are  to  look  upon  suckers,  improper  fertiliza- 
tion, or  other  accident  as  the  great  source  of  barren  stalks,  or 
whether  there  be  an  inherent  tendency  from  the  seed  are  interest- 
ing questions,  yet  unanswered,  and  are  questions  upon  which  the 
Station  is  working. 

NUMBER  OF  EARS  TO  THE  STALK. 

Upon  comparing  the  total  number  of  fruitful  stalks  with  the 
number  of  ears  produced  per  acre  it  is  evident  that  the  rule  is  that 
one  stalk  produces  but  one  ear  and  that  there  are  by  no  means 
enough  twin  ears  to  make  good  the  number  of  barren  stalks.  The 
fact  that  in  a  few  cases  the  number  of  ears  is  less  than  the  number 
of  estimated  fruitful  stalks  shows  an  error  at  some  point  in  the  work, 
and  most  likely  it  is  that  a  few  barren  stalks  escaped  notice. 
Manifestly  the  column  showing  total  number  of  stalks  per  acre  is 
least  open  to  error,  and  that  showing  barren  stalks  the  most  fruit- 
ful of  error  by  oversight. 

YIELDS. 

The  corn  was  husked  by  hand,  care  being  taken  to  secure  all 
ears  and  nubbins.  The  weight  of  ear  corn,  cobs,  and  of  shelled 
corn  was  taken  immediately  and  a  quart  sample  from  each  plat 
was  put  in  glass  cans  for  determination  of  moisture.  This  work 
was  performed  in  duplicate  by  Mr.  C.  G.  Hopkins,  chemist  of  the 
Station.  The  final  yields  are  expressed  in  terms  of  air-dry  grain, 
containing  eleven  per  cent,  of  moisture. 

It  will  not  do  to  credit  all  these  variations  in  yield  to  varietal 
differences.  A  glance  at  the  wide  differences  in  the  yield  of 
Boone  county  white  will  confirm  the  truth  of  this  statement.  So 
unaccountable  are  these  extreme  variations  in  yield  that  it  seems 
necessary  to  resort  to  systematic  duplication,  reducing  the  num- 
ber of  varieties  if  need  be  to  give  anything  like  a  just  comparison 
for  a  single  season. 

While  yields  vary  greatly  with  the  season  it  is  likely  true  that 
those  of  different  varieties  do  not  vary  together;  that  is  to  say, 
that  different  varieties  of  corn,  like  different  plats  of  ground,  are 
differently  affected  by  season. 

It  is  therefore  only  after  a  long  series  of  years  and  from  plant- 
ings in  a  variety  of  plats  that  anything  like  a  true  comparison  can 
be  established.  The  yields  of  the  more  prominent  varieties  for 
several  years  and  from  different  plats  are  given  in  Table  3. 


I8q6.j 


V lEl.lt    EXPERIMENTS    WITH    CORN",    1895. 


173 


TABLE  3.      YIELD  IN  BUSHELS  OF  AIR-PRY  CORN  FOR  A  SERIES  OK  YKARS. 


Varieties. 

1888. 

1889. 

1890. 

1891  . 

1892. 

1893- 

1894. 

1895. 

Ave. 

Champion  white  pearl, 
Learning  

70.0 
86.6 

94-8 
80.6 

74-9 
69.4 

76.5 

67.3 

65.0 
70.1 

37-3 
34-6 

51.0 
62.1 

100.3 
80.0 

71.2 

68.6 

Burr's  white    .        ... 

85.Q 

75.7 

67.7 

67.7 

64.2 

38  6 

60    7 

7Q.  2 

68.6 

Clark's  Iroquois  
Legal  tender   

68.5 
84.2 

81.9 
68.9 

59 
60 

65.4 
56.8 

72.9 
60.3 

30.7 
33.8 

44  3 

57.  0 

102.5 
89 

65.6 
61.7 

Murdock        .           .... 

8o.1 

65.0 

61.6 

59-8 

57  .6 

ac  .7 

48    I 

8s  Q 

6T.7 

Edmonds  

83.7 

66.3 

"55.9 

58.6 

58.4 

28.^ 

CJ..  -3 

86.1 

61  .4. 

Riley's  favorite   

81.8 

66.1 

?3-3 

56.1 

74-i 

38.1 

62.8 

52.2 

60.5 

Varieties. 

1890. 

1891. 

1892. 

1893- 

1894. 

1895- 

Ave. 

Boone  county  white.  . 

74   6 

89.3 

85.5 

33-8 

74   1 

71    2 

71.8 

Champion  white  pearl 

74   Q 

76.5 

65 

-17  .  a 

CT 

100  3 

67   5 

Burr's  white.          .  .  .  . 

67   7 

67.7  - 

6d    2 

38  6 

60   7 

7Q    2 

64   5 

Learning  

w    / 
60.4 

67  .  ^ 

7O    I 

04.6 

62    I 

80  o 

6l    Q 

Clark's  Irocjuois 

en 

6«;.4 

72  .Q 

1O    7 

-i/i    i 

IO2    5 

62    s 

Legal  tender     »    .  .  .  . 

60  O 

56  8 

60    1 

11  8 

57    O 

89  o 

5Q    5 

Murdock  

61.6 

59-8 

57.6 

15.7 

48.1 

85.Q 

58.1 

Edmonds  

sc  q 

58.6 

58.4 

28.3 

cj    a 

86  i 

56.8 

Riley's  favorite.  . 

C-I  .-3 

D  , 
56.1 

74    I 

38    I 

62  8 

K2.2 

56    I 

Golden  beauty..  . 

5l.o 

75.8 

61.  i 

16.4 

11.6 

!    18.0 

4Q.6 

Experiment  No.  ?.      Time  of  Planting. 

Nine  plantings  of  the  same  variety  of  corn  were  made  at  dif- 
ferent dates  one  week  apart,  and  at  different  rates  of  seeding  from 
two  stalks  per  hill  to  five,  inclusive.  Although  an  excess  of  seed 
was  planted  to  be  thinned  when  six  inches  high,  in  but  few  cases 
was  a  full  stand  secured  and  the  actual  seeding  is  less  than  the 
plan  provided.  See  Table  4. 

The  land  for  all  plantings  had  been  treated  the  same  for  many 
years.  It  had  raised  a  crop  of  corn  the  previous -season,  and  each 
planting  was  on  ground  freshly  plowed  and  harrowed. 

All  plantings  were  cultivated  with  the  same  tool  and  upon  the 
same  day  excepting  that  plantings .6  and  .7  were  rolled,  and  7  and 
8  were  harrowed  before  cultivating. 

A  killing  frost  on  May  14,  cut  the  first  and  second  plantings 
to  the  ground,  a  disaster  from  which  they  never  fully  recovered. 

The  different  plantings  show  marked  differences  in  disposition 
to  attain  size,  and  the  attempt  was  made  to  secure  comparative 
growth  in  terms  of  height  of  plant.  Though  it  is  difficult  to  ex- 
press such  data  accurately  in  figures  the  results  given  are  the 
averages  of  many  measurements,  and  express  fairly  well  the  de- 
velopment of  the  different  plantings.  See  Table  5. 

The  first  planting  attained  a  height  of  10  inches  within  39  days 

after    planting.     That  of   May   6th    passed    this    point   sometime 

between  the  25th  and  the  3ist  day,  and  practically  with  the  first 

i  planting  made  14  days  before,  whose  development  it  exceeded  and 


174 


BULLETIN   NO.   42. 


[March, 


TABLE  4.    RESULTS  FROM  PLANTING  ON  DIFFERENT  DATES  AND   WITH  VARYING 
AMOUNTS  OF  SEED,  1895. 


2 
?f 

2 

o 

Date  of 
planting. 

Stalks 
per  hill. 

Per  cent. 
full 
stand. 

Field  wt. 
ear  corn. 

Wt. 

shelled 
corn. 

Per  cent. 

Yield, 
bu.  air- 
dry  1  1  % 
moisture. 

Cobs. 

Dry 

matter, 
shelled 
corn. 

i 

2 

3 
4 

*  April  22  .  .  . 

5 
4 
3 

2 

65.6 

63-3 
42.7 

4-7 

34-75 
28.75 
12.5 
i 

30 
24-75 
10.5 

-75 

13-7 
13-9 
16 

25 

87.02 
86.62 

87 
84.76 

52    2 
42.8 

18.2 
1-3 

5 
6 

7 
8 

*April  29  .  .  . 

4 
3 

92-5 
93-7 
63-5 
62.5 

45-25 
43-5 
26.25 

23-5 

39 

37 

22 
20 

13-3 
14.9 
16.2 

13.8 

85-89 
86  04 
85-25 
84.62 

67 
63.6 

37-5 
33-8 

9 

10 

ii 

12 

May  6  .  . 

c 
4 

o 

82.5 
91.4 

IOO 
100 

45  25 

41-5 
46 
40 

38.25 
35-25 

39 
33-25 

15.5 
15.1 
14.7 

16.2 

82.76 
83-38 
83-34 
83-90 

^3-3 
58.8 

65 

55-8 

13 
14 
15 

1  6 

May   13.    ... 

5 
4 
3 

2 

88.8 
90.6 

93-7 
103.1 

39-25 
36.75 
39-5 
43-75 

33 
31-25 

33  25 
36  5 

15.9 
14.9 
15.2 

16.6 

81.64 
83.65 
83-46 
82.23 

53-8 
52.3 
55-5 
60 

17 

18 

19 

20 

TIT 

May  20  

I 

2 

88.1 
84.4 

92-7 
109.4 

44-75 
40-75 
45  5 
4i-5 

37-75 
34-5 
38. 
34-25 

15-6 
15-3 
16.5 
16.9 

82.48 
82.39 
81.64 
Si-93 

62.2 
56.8 
62 
56.1 

21 

22 

23 
24 

May   27  

5 
4 
3 

2 

74-4 
63-3 
77-i 
90.6 

37 

25-75 
32.25 
25-5 

30.25 

20 
24-5 
19-75 

17.6 
22.3 

23-3 
22.5 

75-73 
72.04 
69.31 
70  30 

45-8 
28.8 

33  9 

27.8 

25 
26 

2? 

28 

Tune  "\  .  . 

5 
4 

3 

2 

69.8 
76.6 

85.4 
79-7 

25 
23-75 
25 
19-5 

19-75 
18.5 
19.25 
14-75 

21 
22.1 
23 
24-4 

74.78 
72.88 
65.72 
70.39 

29-5 
26.9 

25.3 
20.7 

29 
30 
31 
32 

June  10  

5 
4 
3 

2 

75.6          23.25 
81.2          25 

86.5             21 
8l.2             22.5 

17 

18  75 
14-75 

15  75 

26.9 
24 
29.8 
SO' 

62.45 
66.36 
63.27 
61 

21.2 

24.8 

18.6 
19.2 

33 
34 
35 
36 

June  17  

5 
4 
3 
2 

76.9 
8l.2 
91.7     ' 

93-7 

22 
18.75 
24-75 
22.5 

15-5 
13-25 
i? 
15 

29.5 
29.3 
31-3 

33-3 

58.70 
55-86 
63.01 
59-64 

18.2 
14.8 
21.4 

17.8 

*  Killed  to  the  ground  by  frost,  May  i4th. 

whose  yield  it  beat  by  more  than  10  bushels  per  acre.  The  plant- 
ing of  May  20th  reached  a  height  of  10  inches  in  17  days  from  date 
of  planting,  and  matured  with  the  planting  of  May  6th,  which  it 
practically  equaled  in  yield. 

With  this  planting  we  seemed  to  have  passed  the  point  when 
the  corn  was  able  to  gain  by  rapid  development  sufficient  time  for 
a  maximum  crop,  and  although  the  planting  of  the  27th  equaled  it 
did  not  appear  able  to  exceed  the  record  of  its  earlier  planted 
neighbor  for  rapid  early  development.  It  gradually  fell  behind  in 
yield  and  was  clearly  distanced,  and  all  later  plantings  failed  to 


1896.] 


FIELD   EXPERIMENTS   WITH   CORN,    1895. 


175 


TABLE  5.      AVERAGE  HEIGHTS  AND  RATE  OF  GROWTH  OF  DIFFERENT  PLANTINGS 
IN  INCHES  TO  TIP  OF  TASSEL  AND  LEAF,  1895. 


Date  of 
planting. 

Maj- 
3i 

June. 

July. 

August. 

September. 

7 

14 

21 

28 

5 

12 

19 

26 

2 

9 

16 

23 

30 

6 

13 

20 

April  22  j 
April  29  \ 
May  6  j 
May  13  j 
May  20  ] 
May  27  -j 
June  3  | 
June  10  j 
June  17  -j 

Leaf  
Tassel 

10 

18 

25 

40 

57 

70 

83 

77 
81 

74 
73 

93 
87 
99 
94 
88 
69 
9i 
75 
87 
70 

59 

97 
95 
106 
103 
104 
103 
107 
104 
104 

IOO 

79 
82 
61 

99 
92 

105 

IO2 

105 

to? 
108 

107 
107 

108 
89 
98 
70 

59 
64 

97 
96 

105 

IOI 

105 
107 
107 
106 
107 
108 
97 
94 
83 
86 
70 

95 
95 
104 

IO2 
IO4 

106 

107 
107 
107 

109 

IOI 

97 

89 

9i 

78 
89 
64 

93 
94 

IO2 
IOI 
103 
lO? 
105 
I  O6 

106 
109 

IOI 
IOI 

89 
88 
81 
77 
65 
60 

87 
89 

93 
95 
96 

IOC 

99 
103 

IOI 

106 

95 
95 
87 
88 

83 
8c 
68 
68 

97 
94 
90 

87 
86 

83 
72 
72 

85 
82 

73 
73 

73 

77 

Leaf...  .  .  . 

Tassel  .  . 

8 

I? 

28 

44 

57 

74 

Leaf.  
Tassel  .  . 

7 

13 

23 

36 

46 

54 

Leaf  

6 

12 

21 

33 

45 

60 

74 

Leaf  

4 

II 

20 

3i 

44 

56 

72 

Tassel 

Leaf"  

10 

13 

21 

3i 

44 

Tassel  .  . 
Leaf  

3 

7 

12 

21 

30 

42 

Leaf  

Tassel 

•• 

3 

5 

IO 

17 

27 

45 

Leaf 

9 

10 

16 

32 

42 

55 

mature.  Moreover  these  last  plantings  betrayed  a  lessened  energy 
in  the  matter  of  rapid  early  growth,  a  tendency  to  take  on  a  less 
complete  development  and  at  little  or  no  saving  of  time.  It 
seemed  a  clear  case  of  their  inability  to  make  a  crop,  or  even  to 
make  the  most  of  the  time  at  their  disposal.  In  other  words  the 
last  plantings  did  not  accomplish  so  much  in  a  given  time  as  the 
earlier  ones. 

The  average  of  eight  seasons  is  the  same  for  plantings  rang- 
ing from  May  4th  to  i8th  with  tendencies  slightly  favoring  the 
later  dates.  See  Table  6. 


TABLE  6.     RESULTS  FROM  PLANTING  AT  DIFFERENT  DATES, 


-1895. 


Dates. 


Bushels  air-dry  corn  per  acre. 


1888. 

1889. 

iSgO. 

1891. 

1892. 

1893 

1894. 

1895. 

Ave. 

April  22-26  

52 

51 

58 

20 

48 

April  27~May  4  

80 

44 

67 

co 

72 

60 

CQ 

60 

May  4-11  

87 

51 

71 

48 

70 

47 

61 

61 

62 

"  11-18  

86 

56 

75 

50 

63 

48 

60 

55 

62 

"   IQ-2C  . 

87 

5° 

71 

52 

66 

40 

61 

CO 

61 

26—  June  i  

8s 

55 

74 

34 

CO 

•37 

40 

14 

56 

June  1—8  

81 

CO 

61 

•37 

68 

-34 

42 

26 

co 

8-  1  "5  . 

50 

CO 

60 

IQ 

4Q 

38 

21 

21 

an 

17-22  

30 

22 

>2 

18 

21 

Experiment  No.  5.     Thickness  of  Planting. 

The  plantings  made  at  successive  dates  in  Experiment  No.  3 
were  made  to  be  thinned  to  four  rates  of  seeding,  viz.,  2,  3,  4  and 


BULLETIN    NO.   42. 


[March, 


5  kernels  to  the  hill.  In  most  cases  a  full  stand  was  not  secured, 
though  manifestly  less  difficulty  was  encountered  with  the  thinner 
seedings. 

Table  7  gives  the  per  cent,  of  a  full  or  desired  stand  and  the 
yield  of  each,  disregarding  the  extreme  plantings  as  outside  the 
range  of  agricultural  practice.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  average 
yield  declines  from  the  greatest  to  the  least  seeding,  but  it  will 
also  be  noticed  that  the  actual  seeding  was  considerably  thinner 
than  the  nominal. 

In  three  out  of  the  six  seedings  the  5  kernels  (actually  but  4^ 
kernels)  was  most  successful.  Once  three  kernels,  and  once  2 
kernels  secured  the  highest  yield,  but  in  both  cases  the  stand  was 
full. 

TABLE  7.-    INFLUENCE  OF  THICKNESS  OF  PLANTING  UPON  YIELD. 


Date  of  planting. 

Per  cent,  of  full  stand. 

Yield. 

5  ker.- 

4  ker. 

3  ker. 

2  ker. 

5  ker. 

4  ker. 

3  ker. 

2  ker. 

April  29  

92-5 

82.5 
88.8 
88.1 

74-4 
69.8 

93-7 
91.4 
90.6 
84.4 

63-3 
76.6 

63-5 

100 

93-7 
92.7 
77.1 

85-4 

62.5 

TOO 

103.1 
109.4 
90.6 

79-7 

67 

63-3 
53-8 
62.2 
45.8 

29-5 

63.6 

58.8 

52-3 

56.8 
38.8 
26.9 

47-8 

37-5 
65 

55-5 
62 

33  9 

25  3 

33-8 
55-8 
60 
56.1 
27.8 
20.7 

42-3 

Mav      6  .  . 

May     13  

May    20  .  .  , 

May    27  

Tune      •?.. 

Average  

82.7 

83.3 

85.4 

9i 

53-6 

46-5 

In  nearly  every  case  more  nubbins  appeared  in  the  thicker 
seeding,  and  generally  more  good  ears  in  the  medium  seeding, 
but  the  total  yield  shows  a  disposition  to  follow  the  nubbins  rather 
than  the  highest  number  of  large  ears,  although  in  the  seeding  of 
May  1 3th  the  largest  yield  accompanied  the  fewest  ears  of  all, 
6900,  raised  from  two  stalks  to  the  hill. 

Planting  3  ft.  8  inches  each  way  provides  3240  hills  per  acre. 
This  shows  that  two  stalks  per  hill,  each  bearing  a  good  ear,  are 
capable  of  a  fair  yield  of  corn,  but  the  result  is  seldom  attained; 
and  most  of  the  fair  yields,  and  all  the  great  ones  are  from  at  least 
10,000  ears  per  acre. 

Experiment  No.  23.     Rotation  Experiment. 

Table  8  gives  full  results  of  experiments  with  corn  in  rotation, 
with  oats  alone  and  with  both  oats  and  clover,  as  compared  with 
corn  raised  continuously  both  with  and  without  manure.  The 
principal  facts  are  more  clearly  set  forth  in  Table  9,  in  which  each 
method  is  compared  with  corn  raised  continuously  without  manure. 


i8g6.J 


FIELD   EXPERIMENTS   WITH   CORN,    1895. 


177 


0 

Stover, 
Ib. 

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£"">">">£  £2 

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Stover, 
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J*u     M^»     ^*J    *-»u, 
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EFFECT  OF  CONTINUOUS 

CROPPING. 

Table  9  is  capable  of  but  one 
interpretation  upon  this  point, 
viz.,  that  the  yield  from  unma- 
nured  land  continuously  in  corn 
is  slowly,  but  surely  decreasing. 
This  decrease  is  not  gradual,  but 
the  yield  as  it  rises  and  falls  in 
response  to  season  sinks  into  a 
deeper  trough  with  each  recur- 
ring unfavorable  year,  from  which 
it  fails  to  emerge  with  its  former 
vigor.  (See  next  page.) 

VALUE  OF  BARNYARD  MANURE. 

Nothing  could  be  clearer  than 
the  benefit  of  liberal  dressings  of 
barnyard  manure  except  in  ex- 
ceedingly dry  seasons  when  it  is 
inoperative  or  positively  injur- 
ious. It  shows  in  this  experiment 
in  one  instance  a  benefit  of  nearly 
80  per  cent,  advance  in  yield,  and 
an  average  of  n.6  bu.  or  over  30 
per  cent. 

VALUE  OF  COMMERCIAL 

FERTILIZERS. 

Though  applied  in  great  variety, 
but  in  moderate  amounts  no  bene- 
fit to  yield  can  be  as  yet  discov- 
ered, either  in  actual  increase  or 
in  tendency. 

BENEFIT  OF  ROTATION. 

While  the  plat  under  rotation 
between  corn  and  oats  showed  at 
first  a  less  ability  to  yield  than 
did  the  plat  continuously  in  corn, 
the  later  yields  have  been  decid- 
edly in  favor  of  the  rotation  plat, 


78 


BULLETIN   NO.   42. 
TABLE  9.    CORN  CONTINUOUS  AND  IN  ROTATION. 


{March, 


Continuous. 

In  rotation. 

Year. 

With- 
out 
ma- 
nure. 

Barn- 
yard 
ma- 
nure. 

Gain 
or 
loss. 

Com- 
mer- 
cial 
fertil- 

Gain 
or 
loss. 

With 
oats. 

Gain 
or 
loss. 

ISt 

crop 
after 
clover. 

Gain. 

2nd 
crop 
after 
clover. 

Gain. 

izers. 

1888 

C.A.  -i 

66  7 

12    4 

57    4 

•3      I 

4Q    5 

-4  8 

1880 

4"?  .  2 

77   4 

14   2 

45  .Q 

2.7 

Oats 

56.4 

13.2 

1890 

48.7 

55-1 

6  4 

41-5 

-7.2 

54-3 

5-6 

61.9 

13.2 

58.2 

9   5 

1891 

28.6 

44-1 

15-5 

29.2 

.6 

33-2 

4.6 

43-8 

15.2 

33-9 

5-3 

1892 

33-1 

60.5 

27.4 

32.7 

-•4 

Oats 

67.6 

34-5 

56-5 

23-4 

1893 

21.6 

24 

2.4 

IQ-3 

-2-3 

29.6 

8 

45-8 

24.2 

34-1 

12-5 

1894 

34-8 

32.5 

-2-3 

39  8 

5 

Oats 

60.3 

25-5 

1805 

21    I 

18  3 

-2   8 

18  Q 

—2.2 

20    8 

—  .  i 

Ave  .  . 

ii  6 

-.1 

26 

20 

15-2 

with  an  average  of  2.6  bu.  per  year.  This  is  perhaps  scarcely 
enough  pronounced  to  warrant  the  statement  that  a  rotation 
with  oats  is  a  substantial  relief,  but  it  affords  strong  presumptive 
evidence. 

BENEFIT  OF  CLOVER. 

He  who  runs  may  read  not  only  a  decided  increase  every  year 
in  which  corn  follows  clover,  amounting  to  an  average  of  20  bush- 
els, but  that  the  second  crop  after  clover  is  substantially  benefited, 
amounting  to  an  average  of  15.2  bushels. 

Experiment  No.  go.     Rate  of  Growth. 

Data  upon  this  matter  are  tabulated  in  Table  5  to  which  the 
student  is  referred.  It  can  scarce  fail  of  notice  that  the  rate  of 
growth  not  only  varies  greatly  throughout  the  life  time  of  the 
plant,  but  that  the  corn  plant  passes  through  the  same  stages  of 
development  much  more  rapidly  at  some  seasons  than  at  others, 
and  that  the  rate  of  growth  is  to  a  considerable  degree  inde- 
pendent of  temperature. 

SUMMARY. 

Commonly  medium  maturing  varieties  have  given  slightly  the 
highest  average  yield  but  in  the  season  of  1895  the  heaviest  average 
yield  was  from  the  late  varieties. 

The  earliest  plantings  did  not  secure  the  greatest  yield. 

Corn  frozen  to  the  ground  recovered,  and  yielded  a  fair  crop, 
though  some  of  the  earliest  planting  was  killed  outright. 


1896.]  FIELD   EXPERIMENTS   WITH    CORN,    1895.  1/9 

Medium  plantings  grow  faster,  attain  a  greater  development, 
and  secure  a  higher  yield  than  extremely  early  or  extremely  late 
plantings. 

Thicker  plantings  give  the  higher  yields,  but  smaller  ears  and 
more  nubbins. 

A  considerable  number  of  stalks  are  barren,  usually  for  all 
varieties  about  II  per  cent. 

Barrenness  varies  greatly  with  both  variety  and  season  for  un- 
known reasons. 

Maximum  yields  are  generally  from  about  10,000  ears  per  acre. 

The  same  variety  raised  on  neighboring  plats  varies  from 
early  to  late,  and  from  45.8  bushels  to  100.8  bushels  in  yield  per 
acre. 

Land  continuously  in  corn  without  addition  of  fertility  shows 
a  decided  tendency  to  decrease  of  yield. 

Barnyard  manure  applied  annually  has  added  to  yield,  but  is 
no  advantage  in  extremely  dry  seasons. 

Commercial  fertilizers  have  exerted  no  effect  in  these  experi- 
ments. 

In  rotation  with  oats  corn  shows  the  same  tendency  to  de- 
crease of  yield,  but  apparently  in  a  lessened  degree. 

Land  under  a  rotation  containing  clover  gives  decidedly 
superior  yields. 

EUGENE  DAVENPORT,  M.  AGR.,  Agriculturist. 
W.  J.  FRASER,  B.  S. 


BULLETIN'    NO.    42.  [March,    [896. j 


ORGANIZATION. 


BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES,  UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS. 

NELSON  W.  GRAHAM,  Carbondale,  President. 
JOHN  P.  ALTGELD,  Springfield,  Governor  of  Illinois. 
JAMES  W.  JUDY,  Tallula,  President  State  Board  of  Agriculture. 
SAMUEL  M.  INGLIS,  Springfield,  Superintendent  Public  Instruction. 
RICHARD  P.  MORGAN,  Dwight.  ISAAC  S.  RAYMOND,  Sidney. 

DR.  JULIA  H.  SMITH,  Chicago.  SAMUEL  A.  BULLARD,  Springfield. 

NAPOLEON  B.  MORRISON,  Odin.  ALEXANDER  McLEAN,  Macomb. 

JAMES  E.  ARMSTRONG,  Chicago.  MRS.  LUCY  L.  FLOWER,  Chicago. 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTION,  EXPERIMENT  STATION 

THOMAS  J.'  BURRILL,  PH.D.,  Urbana,  Prof,  of  Botany  and  Horticulture,  President. 
E.  E.  CHESTER,  Champaign,  of  State  Board  of  Agriculture. 

E.  A.  RIEHL,  Alton,  of  State  Horticultural  Society. 
H.  B.  GURLER,  DeKalb,  of  State  Dairymen's  Association. 

N.  B.  MORRISON,  Odin,  Trustee  of  the  University. 

ISAAC  S.  RAYMOND,  Sidney,  Trustee  of  the  University. 

ANDREW  S.  DRAPER,  LL.D.,  Urbana,  President  of  the  University 

STEPHEN  A.  FORBES,  PH.D.,  Urbana,  Professor  of  Zoology. 

EUGENE  DAVENPORT,  M.S.,  Urbana,  Professor  of  Animal  Husbandry. 

THE  STATION  STAFF. 

THOMAS  J.    BURRILL,    PH.D.,    Horticulturist   and    Botanist,    President    Board    of 

Direction. 

WILLIAM  L.  PILLSBURY,  A.M.,  Urbana,  Secretary. 

EUGENE  DAVENPORT,  M.S.,  Agriculturist. 

CYRIL  GEORGE  HOPKINS,  M.S.,  Chemist, 

STEPHEN  A.  FORBES,  PH.D.,  Consulting  Entomologist. 

DONALD  McINTOSH.  V.S.,  Consulting  Veterinarian. 

GEORGE  W.  McCLUER,  M.S.,  Assistant  Horticulturist. 

GEORGE  P.  CLINTON.  M.S..  Assistant  Botanist. 

WILL  A.  POWERS,  B.S..  Assistant  Chemist. 


' 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBAN* 


